Nuclear Weapons

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the next stocktake meeting between the Government and the US administration under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement is scheduled to take place; and where the meeting will be held.

Gerald Howarth: Arrangements have not been finalised but it is intended that the next stocktake meeting will take place in mid September in the US.

Departmental Flags

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on flying the Union flag each day from each official building for which his Department is responsible.

Bob Neill: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues guidance for the flying of the Union flag on UK Government buildings. The guidance encourages the Union flag to be flown 365 days a year, and as a minimum all Departments must fly the Union flag on the 19 special designated days e.g Queen's birthday, Remembrance Day, etc. and other special occasions as required e.g. State Opening of Parliament.
	More information on the guidance is available on the DCMS website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/honours/7124.aspx
	The Department for Communities and Local Government flies the Union flag 365 days of the year from our HQ office Eland House.

Departmental Flags

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on flying the Union flag each day from each official building for which his Department is responsible.

Norman Baker: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport issues guidance for the flying of the Union flag on UK Government buildings. The guidance encourages the Union flag to be flown 365 days a year, and as a minimum all departments must fly the Union flag on the 19 special designated days eg Queen's birthday, Remembrance Day, etc. and other special occasions as required eg. State Opening of Parliament.
	More information on the guidance is available on the DCMS website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/honours/7124.aspx
	At the main Department for Transport London headquarters building the Union flag is flown 365 days of the year. The Union flag is flown on designated days at other departmental buildings able to fly flags.

Care Homes: Abuse

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will ensure that in all cases when allegations are made to social services or health services of abuse of residents of care homes that the police are informed;
	(2)  if he will hold a meeting with Essex county council to discuss the findings of the Essex Safeguarding Adults Board into the performance of the Greenways Care Home in Colchester;
	(3)  if he will undertake an investigation into the appropriateness of the transfer by Essex county council of care homes to care home company Excelcare; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what recent representations he has received about the standard of operation by Excelcare  (a) of care homes nationally and  (b) of the Greenways Care Home in Colchester.

Paul Burstow: Decisions to notify the police of allegations of abuse of a resident in a care home are taken locally by safeguarding adults boards, depending on the nature and severity of individual allegations. The Department does not consider it would be appropriate to introduce a requirement that all such allegations, regardless of circumstances, should be automatically referred to the police.
	The transfer or sale of care homes by councils to independent operators is a matter for local consultation and determination. Local councils are free to decide how best to provide care services for their populations, having regard for local need and their budgets. All care homes, whether in the independent or public sectors, must be registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
	The Department has no plans to meet with Essex county council to discuss the findings of the Essex Safeguarding Adults Board into the performance of the Greenways Care Home in Colchester. The Department has received no other recent representations about the standard of operation by Excelcare, either nationally or at the Greenways Care Home in Colchester.
	We are informed by CQC that 35 services operated by Excelcare, including 33 residential care and nursing homes, are registered with it. CQC meets with Excelcare regularly to discuss the quality of care services operated by the company.
	At the most recent meeting, in late February 2010, 28 of 35 Excelcare services were rated "good", five "adequate" and one was yet to be rated by CQC. One was rated "poor". In the case of this service, CQC was content with the company's action plan for improvement.
	The last Government commenced a review of the safeguarding guidance No Secrets. We are considering how to proceed with the review, and will ensure that the case raised by the hon. Member is taken into account. We will make further announcements with respect to No Secrets and safeguarding in due course.

Government Departments: Publications

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he plans to publish the job titles and descriptions of civil servants in his Department under the Open Data Initiative.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office has published organisation charts and staff lists for the Cabinet Office, including No. 10, which provide names of senior civil servants, their job titles and contact details. These data will be updated later in the year to include the job titles of other civil servants in the Department. The organisation charts can be found at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-cabinet-office/cabinet-office-structure.aspx
	and the data have been released through
	www.data.gov.uk
	A copy of this information will also be placed in the Library.